Closing summary

That’s all from us this evening – thanks for reading. Here’s a summary of the day’s events:

MPs rejected the prime minister’s Brexit deal for a third time, throwing the plan for an orderly Brexit in May into chaos. A delay until 22 May, agreed with the EU last week, was dependent on the deal passing. A series of leave-supporting Conservative backbenchers, who had previously balked at the deal, reversed their positions after Theresa May said she would leave Downing Street if it passed.

Competing pro-Brexit rallies were held in Westminster on the day many attendees had assumed would see them celebrating the UK’s exit. Five people were arrested during the demonstrations, which attracted figures from the far-right, as well as more moderate Brexiters.

MPs may be asked to vote again on the deal, amid indications the prime minister may be willing to call a general election. May told the Commons: “I fear we are reaching the limits of this process in this house,” which has been interpreted in some quarters as a warning that, should MPs fail to back her, she could go to the country.

The EU said the vote meant a no-deal Brexit was now likely and that a managed such process would not be on offer. The Irish prime minister, Leo Varadkar, underlined this, saying it did not appear clear the fact was appreciated in London.

If you’d like to read yet more, my colleagues Heather Stewart and Jessica Elgot have the full story:

May hopes to hold fourth vote on Brexit deal

As of 21:00hrs five arrests have been made at the demonstrations in central #London today: x2 for assault, x1 drunk & disorderly, x1 for assaulting a police officer & x1 male arrested after being identified as wanted for an offence in Herts. All are in custody.

Supporters of Yaxley-Lennon have marched to Downing Street. Many of his backers have begun to engage in heated exchanges with the police officers there, according to the Press Association. They chanted “we want our country back” and “we want Brexit”, before turning on a television crew.

The rallies in Westminster are dying down but Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, the far-right activist also known as Tommy Robinson, has returned to the stage. With a much-diminished crowd, the chants of “oh Tommy Robinson” continued as he led a singalong of Rule Britannia.

Yaxley-Lennon, who’s serving as an adviser to the Ukip leader, Gerard Batten, had previously told the crowd that Nigel Farage, the party’s former leader, “does not care about you, he is exactly the same as the establishment”. Farage was speaking at a rival rally nearby.

And, just now, a report has emerged of tensions between Yaxley-Lennon’s supporters and the police beginning to simmer. According to the Press Association, some have been engaging in a tug of war with officers over metal railings. Some Robinson backers are wearing yellow vests, while others have masks on, and appeared to be swearing and shouting at the police.

Earlier, the SNP MP, Joanna Cherry, tweeted:

Joanna Cherry QC MP (@joannaccherry)

Very relieved to be safely back to my base in London. Was abused by trailing ends of the #LeaveMeansLeave protest as I walked home. Called a traitor. Told to go back to my own country. Such a contrast from #PeoplesVoteMarch last weekend #BrexitChaos

Opposition leaders in Ireland have voiced their disappointment at rejection of the withdrawal agreement in the House of Commons. The Sinn Féin leader, Mary Lou McDonald, has said:

The behaviour of the DUP has been reckless and outrageous. They have been seduced by the games at Westminster at the cost of farmers, the economy and the views of the majority in the north.

Our economy, the rights of citizens and our hard-won agreements cannot be collateral damage to Westminster.

Sinn Fein is due to meet the EU’s chief Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier, and other European leaders in Brussels on Monday. McDonald added:

We will be pressing the case that in a crash-out Brexit, the EU must continue to act in the interests of all Ireland and support for our agreements, rights and economy.

The Fianna Fáil leader, Micheal Martin, said a further extension to article 50 was needed to ease tensions. He told RTÉ Radio One:

We now are in an extremely serious situation. It’s time perhaps to give time to it in terms of an extension and to calm things down ... A no-deal [Brexit] would be devastating for the agri-food industry in Ireland. It would devastate the British economy, and the time for putting politics before the livelihoods of people is long over. There’s a need now to think of businesses, to think of jobs.

Nicola Sturgeon has offered further clarity on what her MPs may or may not support on Monday. The SNP are a significant voting bloc at Westminster and, inevitably, there’s much speculation now about whether they could be persuaded to shift their position on some of the indicative vote options. They could, for example, have swung the customs union amendment on Wednesday, had they not abstained.

But while the Scottish Conservatives accused the SNP of hypocrisy in not compromising over that amendment, Sturgeon was quick to point out yesterday that there was nothing in Wednesday’s range of options that met the full continued single market/customs union arrangement put forward as a compromise by the Scottish government in 2016.

And she had further clarified on Twitter this afternoon:

Libby Brooks (@libby_brooks)

Yesterday SNP were accused of *not* working with others after abstaining on the customs union amendment; at FMQs Sturgeon insisted they were prioritising Remain options, but that this could change next week. With SNP support, customs union option could pass... https://t.co/yM8cpKwwry

We’ll decide votes when we see options obvs - but a customs union on its own is not a position we’ve advocated because it would not protect Scotland’s interests. The compromise we proposed (only if remain not an option) was full single market and customs union membership.

Freedom of movement remains hugely important to the Scottish government, given the unique demographic challenges faced by the country and its heavy reliance on EU nationals, especially in the health and social care workforce.

The Liberal Democrats have accused the government of sneaking out an impact assessment (pdf) that suggests a trade deal between the EU and Vietnam will “increase the welfare of UK households” and boost UK exports to the country by nearly £500m per year.

The party notes that the international trade secretary, Liam Fox, has signed only eight trade deals that will maintain the relationships the UK currently has as an EU member, once it leaves the bloc.

Len McCluskey, the general secretary of the Unite trade union, has called for a general election or a free vote in the Commons to break the Brexit impasse. He has said:

Theresa May’s Brexit deal is now dead. It has been rejected by the House of Commons three times. Its demise is testament to the prime minister’s failure to act as a national rather than a party leader. Her efforts to reach out beyond the ranks of the Tory hard right have been too little and too late.

It is now beyond urgent that politicians of all parties agree on a new approach. Uncertainty is costing jobs and investment. Britain’s economic future is being held hostage by political paralysis.

The deadlock can only be broken by a general election or by a free vote across the Commons on the range of options available. On Monday, MPs should agree a new approach based around a customs union between Britain and the EU.

I would very much hope that those MPs in all parties who did not support this commonsense solution to the crisis in this week’s indicative vote will do so in a free vote on Monday.

In particular, I would urge the Scottish National party, supported as it is by many working people in Scotland, to vote to put economic security, jobs and prosperity first.

Vote Leave drops appeal and agrees to pay fine

While those events are going on, it has been confirmed this evening that Vote Leave has dropped its appeal against the Electoral Commission’s finding that it broke the law. The commission says:

Vote Leave has today withdrawn its appeal and related proceedings against the Electoral Commission’s finding of multiple offences under electoral law, committed during the 2016 EU referendum campaign.

Vote Leave was the designated lead campaigner for the leave outcome at the referendum. We found that it broke the electoral rules set out by parliament to ensure fairness, confidence and legitimacy at an electoral event. Serious offences such as these undermine public confidence in our system and it is vital, therefore, that they are properly investigated and sanctioned.

We have been advised that Vote Leave has paid its £61,000 fine and look forward to receiving the sum in full.

In Westminster, where rival pro-Brexit rallies are taking place, the rhetoric is taking an aggressive and somewhat troubling turn, as my colleague Ben Quinn reports:

Ben Quinn (@BenQuinn75)

Speaker - ‘a veteran’ - at the UKIP event now recalling execution of Charles I.‘We are a peaceful movement but our weapon is the vote. You will vote for the executioner’s axe ‘ pic.twitter.com/UdN5hBtI7L

Today outside Parliament I and others were accosted by people shouting f****** traitor as we tried to get in to vote. Our staff were advised to leave the building for their own safety. There were armed police everywhere. This is not normal

The SNP has been criticised for not voting for the customs union amendment during the indicative votes on Wednesday. This tweet from Nicola Sturgeon, Scotland’s first minister, seems to be suggesting the SNP could back the customs union plan next week.

Nicola Sturgeon (@NicolaSturgeon)

Third defeat for PM’s bad deal - she must now accept that it’s dead. The Commons will now return on Monday to find a way forward. I hope that willl be to put the issue back to the people and/or revoke Article 50 - but @theSNP will work with others to find the best option possible

Somebody put it to me the other day, look, in any other European country, the Conservative party wouldn’t exist in its current form. The ERG, Jacob Rees-Mogg’s group, in France would be in the National Front because that’s what they believe, and in Germany they’d be in the AfD. It’s only because of our system that the carapace of this party keeps them in, and I think on both sides of the aisle that can’t last.

Naughtie subsequently apologised, saying his words had been ill-chosen.